ITAC Offers New Acting Program for Seniors

Amana - A new project is being offered at the Iowa Theatre Artists Company in Amana that is designed specifically for people 55 and over who are interested in having fun doing something they have always wanted to try but never got around to it: Acting in front of other people. The group is called Over the Speed Limit Players and will begin to meet in May.

ITAC announces Garage Sale AMANiA” Fundraiser

Amana - The Iowa Theatre Artists Company (ITAC) will hold its sixth annual Garage Sale AMANiA (and Wee Flea Market) on Saturday, March 28. The hours of the sale will be from 8 am until 4 pm at the ITAC building in Amana.

“Each year just gets better and better,” states Co-Producer, Meg Merckens. “We hope to fill the hall with a huge number of area sellers, as in years past, and to have several hundred attend. The record has been over 500 coming through the doors. We hope that we can break that record this year!”

Morning’s at Seven Opens on ITAC Stage on October 24 in Amana

Meg Merckens and Clark Skaggs

Amana - Paul Osborn’s classic American play, Morning’s at Seven, opens on Friday, October 24 for a three-week run on the Iowa Theatre Artists Company’s stage in Amana. Written in 1939, it has received two revivals on Broadway, the most recent one in 2002, with New York City papers describing the show as “absolutely entrancing” with “charm to burn.”

Set in the backyards of an “American town” in the late 1930s, the story revolves around the seemingly quiet lives of the four aging Gibb sisters, who have lived in close proximity to each other all of their lives. Osborn skillfully paints a sweetly funny portrait of the four sisters, their eccentric mates and quirky offspring and the long-held secrets that divide them but ultimately strengthen their family ties. Bringing this endearing, funny and “oh-so-familiar” family interaction to life is a cast of some of the strongest veteran actors in Eastern Iowa, along with two very talented young performers. Audiences in the Cedar Rapids area will recognize and enjoy favorite, local stage actors, Cherryl Thomason, Marty Norton, Jim Kern, David Morton and Susie Streit. Equally acclaimed are two actors from the Amana area, Meg Merckens and Tom Milligan. Two younger Iowa theatre artists, Robert Kemp and Jessica Murrillo, who hail from the Iowa City area, represent the up-and-coming stage talent of Eastern Iowa. It’s the largest non-musical cast in ITAC’s seven-year history to grace the theatre’s stage in Amana. Mike Cervantes of Cedar Rapids is making his directorial debut with this production. “We wanted to present a festive season of theatre this final year in our building, and choosing this particular production with such an outstanding cast of actors is turning out to be a perfect fit,” stated Producing Director, Tom Johnson.

Performances are Friday and Saturday evenings at 7:30 pm, and Saturday and Sunday afternoons at 2:30 pm from October 24 through November 9. Reservations are strongly encouraged for this three-week run in the intimate 99-seat ITAC theatre. Prices are $22.50 for Adults, $20 for Seniors (60 and up) and $10 for Students (through college). For reservations call: 319-622-3222 and for more information about ITAC, visit: iowatheatreartists.org.


Source: ITAC Press Release

Lost Boy Found Opens Sept 13

Amana - The Iowa Theatre Artists Company (ITAC) of Amana brings the long-awaited production of Lost Boy Found to the stage for ten performances only, September 13 – 28. The original play opens Saturday, September 13 at 7:30 pm and runs through Sunday, September 28 at 2:30 pm. Seating is limited and reservations are strongly recommended for this riveting, true story that became a landmark decision in Iowa’s judicial system.

ITAC's Fall Shows

Amana - The Iowa Theatre Artists Company (ITAC) of Amana will offer five theatrical productions beginning in August and running through December. Although ITAC will continue as a producing theatre in 2015, the upcoming fall productions will be the final performances on the stage housed in the ITAC Performing Arts Center, located at 4709 220th Trail. The season will open with an original script written by Thomas P. Johnson, The Old Guy, a comedy that debuted in the Fall of 2013 and has been extended into the new season for two weeks. A variety of original and classic theatrical productions will round out the season. There are also three musical guest events that are scheduled in late July and December.

ITAC Seeking Volunteers

Amana - ITAC is seeking dependable volunteers for its 2013 season and beyond. Perfect opportunity for seniors or any adult at any age wishing to help out a local non-profit organization, make a significant impact, and give something back to your community. If you are looking for a way to make a difference in your community volunteering at ITAC may be your ticket!

Volunteer duties could include ushering, selling concessions, light office work, helping in the box office during performances, answering phones, being a board member, light carpentry for sets, painting sets, creating props, or any other volunteer opportunities that might be needed. Let us know what you might like to do. We are open to any kind of help that you can provide. Volunteers earn free tickets! Call (319) 622-3222 or email itac@southlope.net.

Source: ITAC newsletter

The Old Guy Opens November 1

Elijah Jefferson and Steve Shaffer

Amana - "A new comedy, “The Old Guy” by Thomas P. Johnson (South Amana), will make its world premiere at the Iowa Theatre Artists Company (ITAC) in Amana on Friday, November 1. The production will run through November 24, leading into the holiday offerings at ITAC, which include two Christmas Concerts and a Christmas Cabaret scheduled for the end of November and into December.

The Dining Room Opens September 20

Amana - "The Iowa Theatre Artists Company (ITAC) will open its Fall schedule with a production of A.R. Gurney’s The Dining Room on September 20. Performances will run through October 20 with a break in the run for Amana’s Oktoberfest and also a trip to Dysart for two fundraising performances for the Garrison and Dysart Lions Clubs.

Songs and Stories of the Lincoln Highway

Amana - A new musical tribute to “America’s Main Street,” the Lincoln Highway, will be on stage at the Iowa Theatre Artists Company (ITAC) in Amana for two performances only, Sunday, August 25. Songs and Stories of The Lincoln Highway is scripted by Robert Assink (Cedar Rapids) with music selected and performed by The Mike Maas Trio. The trio is comprised of Mike Maas (Cedar Rapids), Carlis Faurot (Cedar Rapids) and Mike Crist (Oxford Mills). Songs and Stories of The Lincoln Highway celebrates 100 years of cross-country travel on what was first known as the “Coast-to-Coast Rock Highway.” Rick Titus (Cedar Rapids) will join the Mike Maas Trio on stage to narrate the stories behind this highway which was eventually re-named to honor the memory of Abraham Lincoln.

Performances are Sunday, August 25 at 1:30 pm and 6:30 pm. Tickets are $10. Reservations are strongly encouraged. Please call: 319-622-3222 for information and reservations in Amana. This production is a collaboration with the History Center of Linn County, The Mike Maas Trio and the Iowa Theatre Artists Company of Amana. ITAC is located in the former Amana Barn Restaurant and is in its sixth year of producing and presenting plays and concerts that feature the talents of Iowa performing artists.

(Source: ITAC Newsletter)

The Iowa Theatre Artists Company Announces 2013 Fall Season

Amana - "As the successful summer production, Oma Tales – Stories My Grandmother Told Me comes to a close on August 17, the Iowa Theatre Artists Company (ITAC) will begin to gear up for two shows this Fall, The Dining Room by A.R. Gurney and a regional premiere of The Old Guy written by ITAC co-founder, Thomas P. Johnson. In addition to these two stage productions, ITAC will also present three different Christmas Concerts running from Thanksgiving weekend through December 14.

Iowa Theatre Artists Company Opens New Show About Amana History

Mary Ann Fels of Amana shows an historic wedding dress to Lauren Gentry of ITAC

(photo by Meg Merckens)

Amana - "Co-Producers of the Iowa Theatre Artists Company (ITAC), Tom Johnson and Meg Merckens, are creating a “new” show about “old” Amana that takes a close look at how community members coped with the end of their communal way of life in 1932 known as “the Great Change.” The one-hour play is called “Oma Tales – Stories My Grandmother Told Me.” The show opens on June 13 and continues through August 17 with performance times on Thursday and Friday at 2:30 PM and Saturday at 12 PM and 2:30 PM. This new production features long-time ITAC performers Meg Merckens (South Amana) and Marshall Nielsen (Cedar Falls) and introduces the 2013 Internship members, Lauren Gentry (Omaha, NE) and Andrew Burlage (Cedar Rapids).

Over the past few weeks, Johnson and Merckens have interviewed Amana residents who came of age in 1932 or just after. They’ve read first-person accounts, oral history transcripts and the historical accounts describing those frenetic months of 1931-32. This was familiar territory for the couple. About a decade ago Johnson wrote a very well received, full-length play on Amana’s history, “Home On The Iowa.” More recently the couple adapted oral histories of communal Amana into a one-hour stage show, called "Stories of Old Amana" that was presented at ITAC during the summer of 2012, and before that another show based on Amana history, "Remain True" that ran for two years.

“So many of the things I’ve read or the work we’ve done as a theatre with the previous Amana historical dramas, have stopped when we reached 1932, the end of the communal times. We want to explore that period of time after the Change,” Johnson explained.

In addition, clothing and other items from the period will be displayed in the ITAC lobby. After each performance, the audience will have the opportunity to talk with the actors about the show and the topics it introduces. “We have found that audiences enjoy the ‘talkback’ sessions so much. They add to the overall experience for the visitor and they’re fun for the actors too,” Merckens said.

Seating is General Admission but ITAC encourages patrons to call the Box Office, 319-622-3222, and reserve tickets due to the limited seating of its 99-seat theatre. Ticket Prices are $10 for Adults and $5 for Students. “This is a wonderful show to share between generations. Though the youngest children may not be able to follow some of the stories, we think that this is an ideal show for fifth graders right on up to their grandparents,” Johnson added."

(Source: ITAC Press Release)

Auditions for ITAC Internships

Amana - "The Iowa Theatre Artists Company (ITAC) is currently accepting applications for internship positions for the Summer of 2013. Local auditions/interviews will be held at their Amana location, 4709 220th Trail. ITAC is looking for One Male and One Female Actor/Singer, College age, who will be available for rehearsal and performances from May 20 --‐ August 24, 2013. Students must have own local housing and transportation.

Actors should prepare two short contrasting pieces with a total running time of 2--‐3 minutes. Actors who sing should also prepare 16 to 32 bars of music that best represents his/her vocal range and skills. Please plan to sing a cappella. A current picture and resumé should be emailed to the theatre prior to the audition, or may be brought to the actual audition.

The Iowa Theatre Artists Company is a small, professional not-for-profit theatre that operates under an Actors’ Equity Association SPT contract, Tier 3. This allows ITAC to hire both union and non-union actors and assistant stage managers.

For more information or to schedule an audition/interview, please call: 319-622-3222, or email: itac@southslope.net"

(Source: ITAC Press Release)

ITAC Fundraiser on March 23

Amana -"The Iowa Theatre Artists Company (ITAC) is gearing up for a major fundraising event to be held on Saturday, March 23rd from 8 am to 4 pm. The fourth annual 'Garage Sale AMANiA' will be held in the ITAC building with its traditional offering of multiple sellers from the Amana area selling a wide array of 'treasures' at garage sale prices. This year will mark the first time that the Amana Library will hold their Used Book Sale on the upper level of the building on the same day over the same hours. 'What a great way to support both non-profit organizations with all of the fun and activity under one roof,' states ITAC Co-Producer, Meg Merckens.

ITAC's Radio Scrooge

Amana - "The Iowa Theatre Artists Company (ITAC) will present a special adaptation of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol during the weekend of “Prelude To Christmas” in Amana. In the style of an old-time radio show, Radio Scrooge will be performed by an array of ITAC actors who are returning for this theatrical event. Performances are Friday November 30 at 7:30 pm, Saturday, December 1 at 7:30 pm, and Sunday, December 2 at 1:30 pm. The one hour event is a fundraiser for the Iowa Theatre Artists Company and admission is by Free Will Donation.

The funny, spooky, and very entertaining adaptation of Dickens classic, A Christmas Carol, will be fun for the family and will feature Cedar Rapids native Steve Shaffer along with Robert Gardner (St. Peter, MN), both of whom were in the critically acclaimed production of The Drawer Boy this past fall at ITAC. Also lending her voice to the radio hour is Judy Gardner (St. Peter, MN), who appeared on the ITAC stage in The Cemetery Club, as well as Meg Merckens (South Amana), Artistic Director at ITAC, Alex Shockley (Algona,) who was most recently seen in Pump Boys And Dinettes, Bob Assink (Cedar Rapids), Artistic Associate at ITAC, and young newcomer, Mason Erger (Cedar Rapids). Amana native Ian Zahren will provide the holiday music that will accompany the production and Thomas P. Johnson (South Amana) is director. Coffee, cider, and treats with the cast will be offered after the performance.

Admission is by Free Will Donation and seating is general admission, but ITAC encourages patrons to call ahead to ensure seating. Call 319-622-3222 or email: itac@southslope.net. For more information and performance details, visit: iowatheatreartists.org"

(source: ITAC press release)

ITAC Presents Lions Club Fundraiser

For a fifth straight year, the Garrison and Dysart Lions Clubs will host a theatrical production by the Iowa Theatre Artists Company (ITAC) of Amana as a fundraiser for the two clubs. On Saturday and Sunday, November 17 and 18, the ITAC musical production of “Pump Boys And Dinettes” will take the stage at the Union Middle School in Dysart and entertain the local audience. Both clubs sell tickets and the proceeds are split evenly. Not only has it been a successful fundraiser for the two clubs, but also it has also helped support the not-for-profit small professional organization, the Iowa Theatre Artists Company, and has also provided a fundraising opportunity for the local community theatre of Dysart, the Wolf Creek Players, which provides the refreshments before the show and during the intermission. ITAC Artistic Director, Meg Merckens comments, “This has been a fantastic fundraiser for all involved. It’s such fun to work with the two clubs and the community theatre and also to provide a very special event for the local audience in Benton and Tama Counties.”

Celebrating its 30th Anniversary, Pump Boys And Dinettes was written and first performed Off-Broadway in 1982 by John Foley, Mark Hardwick, Debra Monk, Cass Morgan, John Schimmel and Jim Wann. ITAC fills the stage with a multi-talented cast of singers and musicians from the local area as well as two performers from the Nashville, Tennessee area. Paul Binkley is Music Director and is also singing and playing the role of Jim in the 2012 production at ITAC. ITAC first performed Pump Boys as its debut production in 2008 at the Colony Village Restaurant in Little Amana before moving to its permanent home in the former Barn Restaurant in Amana in the spring of 2009. Over the past fifteen years, Binkley has served as music director/sound designer for Tennessee Repertory Theatre, Nashville Shakespeare Festival and Coterie Theatre in Kansas City in addition to performing with numerous bands and performers including Alabama, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Red River Boys and at Opryland U.S.A. Joining Binkley on stage is local favorite Lynne Rothrock (Cedar Rapids) as Rhetta Cupp and ITAC newcomer Erin R. Ramsey (Adams, TN) as Prudie Cupp. These two sassy and spirited sisters run the Double Cupp Cafe, which is located right next door to the service station where the Pump Boys often contemplate actually working on a car, but would rather sing about work than actually change a tire. The Pump Boys are: Binkley (Nashville, TN), Ron DeWitte (Cedar Rapids), Gilbert Perez (Kalona), Paul Roberts, (Sharon Center) Alex Shockley (South Amana) and Ian Zahren (South Amana).

The Saturday performance on November 17 is scheduled at 7:30 pm and the Sunday matinee performance on November 18 will be at 2:00 pm. Tickets are $16 for Adults and $10 for students and are general admission. Tickets may be purchased by contacting the following club members: Dysart Lions: Dwayne Luze: (319) 476-4949 or Garrison Lions: Dick Flickinger: (319) 477-8423 or by calling the ITAC box office: (319) 622-3222. Information about ITAC can be found by visiting the website: iowatheatreartists.org.

Pump Boys and Dinettes Opens October 26

Amana - Pump Boys And Dinettes, the high-octane and full service musical, takes the stage at the Iowa Theatre Artists Company in Amana from October 26 through November 16. A cast of eight sings and plays numerous musical instruments in this light-hearted and nostalgic show including guitar, bass, piano, banjo, drums and an array of kitchen utensils and pots and pans.

Celebrating its 30th Anniversary, Pump Boys And Dinettes was written and first performed Off-Broadway in 1982 by John Foley, Mark Hardwick, Debra Monk, Cass Morgan, John Schimmel and Jim Wann. ITAC fills the stage with a multi-talented cast of singers and musicians from the local area as well as two performers from the Nashville, Tennessee area. Paul Binkley is Music Director and is also singing and playing the role of Jim in the 2012 production at ITAC. ITAC first performed Pump Boys as its debut production in 2008 at the Colony Village Restaurant in Little Amana before moving to its permanent home in the former Barn Restaurant in Amana in the spring of 2009.

Over the past fifteen years, Binkley has served as music director/sound designer for Tennessee Repertory Theatre, Nashville Shakespeare Festival and Coterie Theatre in Kansas City in addition to performing with numerous bands and performers including Alabama, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Red River Boys and at Opryland U.S.A. Joining Binkley on stage is local favorite Lynne Rothrock (Cedar Rapids) as Rhetta Cupp and ITAC newcomer Erin R. Ramsey (Adams, TN) as Prudie Cupp. These two sassy and spirited sisters run the Double Cupp Cafe¢, which is located right next door to the service station where the Pump Boys often contemplate actually working on a car, but would rather sing about work than actually change a tire. The Pump Boys are: Binkley (Nashville, TN), Ron DeWitte (Cedar Rapids), Gilbert Perez (Kalona), Paul Roberts, (Sharon Center) Alex Shockley (South Amana) and Ian Zahren (South Amana).

The performance schedule is as follows: Friday at 7:30 PM (October 26, November 2, 9 and 16), Saturday at 1:30 PM (October 26), Saturday at 7:30 PM (October 27, November 3, 10), Sunday at 1:30 PM (October 28, November 4, 11) and Thursday at 7:30 PM (November 1, 8, 15). This is the first time that ITAC is offering Thursday evening shows. Tickets are $22.50 for Adults and $10 for Students. The 99-seat house offers reserved seating and group rates. Purchase tickets by calling the ITAC box office: (319) 622-3222. ITAC will also travel to Dysart for two fundraising performances for the Garrison and Dysart Lions Clubs. The performances at the Dysart Union Middle School are Saturday, November 17 at 7:30 PM and Sunday, November 18 at 2:00 PM. Information about ITAC and the performance schedule can be found by visiting its website.

Calendar Listing:

What: Pump Boys And Dinettes
By John Foley, Mark Hardwick, Debra Monk, Cass Morgan, John Schimmel & Jim Wann

When: October 26 – November 16, 2012 (In Amana)
Performance Days/Times in Amana:
Friday & Saturday: 7:30 pm
Sunday: 1:30 pm
Saturday, October 27: 1:30 PM (in addition to evening performance)
Thursday: (Nov. 1, 8 & 15): 7:30 PM
Where: Iowa Theatre Artists Company
4709 220th Trail , Amana Iowa 52203

When: November 17 - 18, 2012 (In Dysart)
Performance Days/Times in Dysart:
Saturday, November 17: 7:30 PM
Sunday, November 18: 1:30 PM
Where: Dysart Union Middle School
505 West Street, Dysart, IA 52224

Ticket Price: $22.50 Adult; $10 Student (Includes College and Grad School)
Group Rates Available
Call: 319-622-3222
Email: itac@southslope.net
Website: www.iowatheatreartists.org

Belle of Amherst Delivers Complex Character

by Matthew Falduto

Meg Merckens as Emily Dickinson

ITAC - When I hear the name Emily Dickinson, I naturally think: poet. As the free association continues, the words recluse… spinster… death… lonely… come to mind. My mind creates an image of a woman alone in an upstairs bedroom, painstakingly creating beautiful but dark poems by candle light. As the Iowa Theatre Artists Company’s production of William Luce’s The Belle of Amherst makes clear, that is an incomplete picture at best. Emily Dickinson, as portrayed in this powerful one woman show by Meg Merckens, is a complex woman, but one we can identify with easily. She has the same fears, the same desires, and the same uncertainties that we all face in our lives. 

Every choice the creative team behind The Belle of Amherst has made illuminates this pivotal American writer. If you don’t leave the theatre knowing a whole lot more about the person behind the poetry... well, then you must already be an Emily Dickinson aficionado. The set is simple and perfect, clearly creating the drawing room in Emily’s house. Antique desks, a sofa, and nick-knacks suggest a real home of the time period. Instead of walls, there is a black curtain behind the set pieces. This works well because the clever set designer (Thomas P. Johnson, who also directed the piece) also uses four unobtrusive white columns to create the illusion of a rectangular room. The lighting is also well done. At various points in the play, we jump back in time to one of Emily’s memories. A lighting change signifies this jump allowing us to follow the action easily. 

A one person show is a challenge for any performer. I am not certain that non-actors can truly appreciate the mental and physical stamina an actor must possess to power through a two hour show and maintain the character she’s created. (Note that there is an intermission.) All eyes are on you alone. Every action is yours. There is no help from other actors if you lose track of where you are, never a break off stage to re-focus before the next entrance. There is only you, alone, on stage. It’s take a truly strong actor to successfully keep an audience engaged for two hours. Fortunately, Iowa Theatre Artists has such an artist in Meg Merckens. From the first minute, she is Emily Dickinson, taking us through an emotional roller coaster ride, up to every peak and down to every valley. She shows Emily's whimsy as a teenager, her passion for words, and her heartbreak toward the end of the show. And she does this with an indefatigable energy that is so engaging to experience. 

 I highly recommend this play. It's a wonderful opportunity to take an in depth look at a true American icon. Iowa Theatre Artists should be commended for bringing this play to stage. It only runs through Sunday, October 21, so see it while you can! Showtimes are 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday nights, 1:30 p.m. Sundays. Ticket price is $22.50 Adult; $10 Student (Includes College and Grad School); Group Rates are available. Call 319-622-3222, email itac@southslope.net, or go online to www.iowatheatreartists.org.

One-Woman Show Celebrates the Life and Poetry of Emily Dickinson

Amana - The Iowa Theatre Artists Company (ITAC) opens The Belle Of Amherst by William Luce on Friday, October 12 at 7:30 pm. Only six performances of this production will be offered featuring Meg Merckens in the role of the celebrated American poet, Emily Dickinson.

The Belle Of Amherst opened on Broadway in 1976, and playwright William Luce calls it “…a love affair with language, a celebration of all that is beautiful and poignant in life.” The play delicately explores the life of one of the great American poets, Emily Dickinson, from the age of fifteen, a young, vibrant girl full of hope and success, and on through the years as she becomes more and more reclusive, but still fervently pursuing her passion to see her poems published. The play, as written by Luce, draws liberally from actual letters written by Dickinson and those who knew her, to give a fascinating insight into the brilliance behind her poetry that is still read and treasured today.

Merckens first performed the role in 1983 at The Old Creamery Theatre in Garrison, and looks forward to revisiting this captivating production. “I was perhaps a bit young when I played Emily the first time around,” states Merckens who played the role in her late 20’s. “Having the opportunity to play the same role again, with a lot of life experience since the first production, has been a very touching and rewarding experience. I do hope the audience enjoys it as much as I do.”

Thomas P. Johnson, co-producer of ITAC, is the director of The Belle Of Amherst, having just directed the critically-acclaimed ITAC production of The Drawer Boy. The Belle Of Amherst runs October 12 - 21, with performances on Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 pm, and Sundays at 1:30 pm. Tickets can be reserved by calling the ITAC box office at 319-622-3222 or email: itac@southslope.net. Ticket price is $22.50 for adults and $10 for students, with group rates available as well. Next up at ITAC will be the high octane musical, Pump Boys And Dinettes, followed by three Christmas Concert weekends beginning November 24. For more detailed information, please visit: http://www.iowatheatreartists.org."

Audition Notice for Pump Boys and Dinettes

Amana - Audition Notice: The Iowa Theatre Artists Company in Amana is scheduling audition appointments for two non-union male Musician/Singer/Actors for their upcoming production of Pump Boys And Dinettes. The roles of Jim and Jackson are yet to be cast. The production runs four weekends, October 26 — November 18. Please call Meg Merckens, Artistic Director of ITAC for information, details, and to schedule an audition appointment. Looking for non-union performers only, please, with strong background in guitar. These are paid positions. All other roles have been cast. 319-622-3225 or email: itac@southslope.net

ITAC's The Drawer Boy Balances Humor & Depth

Robert Gardner (left) and Steve Shaffer;
Photo by Meg Merckens

 

by Gerry Roe
Amana—The Drawer Boy tells the story of a young actor who inserts himself into the lives of two bachelor farmers. Miles, the actor, is part of a 1972 Toronto group with the goal of creating plays about rural life. In order to gather material, the actors are sent into the country to learn about Ontario farm life and to bring their stories back to the group. The result was The Farm Show, which was first presented to the farm families with whom the actors lived for a time and from whom the stories were collected. Later The Farm Show spread across Canada including performances in urban centers such as Ottawa, Stratford, and Manitoba.

In Healey’s 1999 play, Miles (Alex Shockley) arrives at the small farm run by Morgan (Robert Gardner) and Angus (Steve Shaffer), lifelong friends and veterans of World War II. Miles asks to live on the farm for a while in order to research farming and farm life. In exchange, he will help out with chores. With some reluctance, Morgan agrees and sets about “teaching” Miles, assigning him useless tasks and providing gross misinformation about the farming business. City boy Miles is naïve enough to take his jobs seriously and the exchanges between Morgan and Miles provide much of the humor in the first act. Assigned to spend time with the cows, Miles thinks he can interpret their mooing and finds in it evidence of their incipient terror of insufficient milk production leading to their demise and conversion to beef. Morgan could be seen as cruel for taking advantage of the naïve Miles but Gardner's subtlety lets us in on the fact that he is merely playing practical jokes on him.

Angus, the drawer boy whose talent for drawing could have allowed him a university education and a career in architecture if he hadn’t gone to war and lost his memory through a head injury, now relies on Morgan as his only link to his own past. Morgan keeps that past alive by telling Angus the story of two friends from childhood (a drawer boy and a farmer boy) who played together, grew up, joined the army, and met two girls “one tall, the other taller,” and who planned to build two houses "connected but separate” for them and the girls.

Enough about the plot. Go see this play and the plot will emerge sufficiently. The real reason to see the play is the characters and the performances. In addition to the humor, there is great depth in the characters and in the actors’ performances. Robert Gardner as Morgan is masterful in his portrayal, showing us his burden of caring for his friend, as well as his private burden of keeping Angus functioning in spite of the memory loss and the pain of his terrible headaches. Steve Shaffer’s Angus is utterly convincing as he shuffles along in his confused state, pathetic at times, amusing at times, and never setting a foot wrong. These are bravura performances, deeply moving in their shared existence, and inspiring in their portrayal of friendship’s demands and rewards. Alex Shockley’s Miles is amusing in his apparent haplessness but thoroughly convincing in his ability to discern the flaw in Morgan’s story.

Thomas Johnson’s set design is attractive and efficient, evoking the bachelors’ farm kitchen and a bit of the outdoors beyond. Johnson’s direction seems low-keyed but it is extremely effective. In a pre-show message to the audience, Johnson said directing was easy because all he had to do was let these talented actors go. Anyone who has ever directed a show can see beneath his comment and recognize the work involved in giving actors their freedom and helping them select the various routes to their successful performances.

The Drawer Boy runs through September 16, with performances Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays at 1:30 p.m. Tickets can be reserved by calling the ITAC box office at 319-622-3222 or via email: itac@southslope.net. Tickets are $22.50 for adults and $10 for students, with group rates available as well.